Tote box attachment for suburban type tractor

ABSTRACT

A tote box adapted for attachment to the forward end of the suburban type riding tractor. The tote box is pivotally supported and includes a forward wall which is inclined at an obtuse angle in relation to the bottom wall of the box. Latching means retain the box in upright position for transporting the contents thereof. Release of the latching means causes the box top to tip forwardly to discharge the contents.

United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,847,436

Reid 1451 Nov. 12, 1974 [54] TOTE BOX'ATTACHMENT FOR SUBURBAN 2.674328 4/1954 Searls 298/l C TYPE TRACTQR 2,770,491 ll/l956 Perko 298/10 [75] Inventor: Jay H. Reid, Barrington, lll. Primary Examiner Robert B Reeves [73] Assignee: Sears, Roebuck and Co., Chicago, Assistant mminerLflrry H. Martin 11]. Attorney, Agent, or Firm Amstein, Gluck,

w '1 1 1 221 Filed: Apr. 4, 1973 6 d Mmow 211 Appl. No.: 347,786 57 ABSTRACT A tote box adapted for attachment to the forward end 52 us. 01. 298/1 c, 298/17 R, 248/291 of the suburban yp riding tractor The low box is [51] Int. Cl 360p 1/28 Pivotally Supported and includes a forward wall which 5 Field f Search H 293/1 C, 19 17 R; is inclined at an obtuse angle in relation to the bottom 24 235 242 291 wall of the box. Latching means retain the box in upright position for transporting the contents thereof.

[56] Refer n e Cit d Release of the latching means causes the box top to UNITED STATES PATENTS tip forwardly to discharge the contents. 1.834965 12 1931 Osman 298/1 c 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 4" n 11 v I 1 IlIl). 7

PATENTEDHUY 12 i974 SHEEI 2 (IF 3 TOTE BOX ATTACHMENT'FOR SUBURBAN TYPE TRACTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a tote box attachment arranged to be mounted on the forward end of a suburban type riding tractor for carrying a load. The box is pivotally supported and so constructed that when carrying a load it is unbalanced tendingto rock in a forward direction to discharge the load forwardly of the tractor. The box is normally maintained in upright-position by spring biased releasable latching means which is manually operable.

SUMMARY or THE INVENTION One of the objects of this invention isthe provision of a tote box attachment arranged to be mounted on the forward end of a suburban tractor.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a tote box of the foregoing character which is unbalanced so as to tilt in a forward direction to discharge a load carried therein.

A further object of thisinvention is the provision-of a tote box having manually releasble latching means for securing the box in upright position.

Other and further objects and'advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1,

2 and 4, the numeral indicates the forward axle-of a conventional suburban type riding tractor having mounted thereon a pair of spaced brackets 12, shaped substantially as illustrated, and having upper and lower apertures 13 and 14, respectively. A main supporting frame 16, generally l-I-shaped, includes a pair of parallel arms 17 and a cross brace 18 welded thereto. Each of the arms 17 is bent inwardly at one end and has welded thereto a bearing bushing l"9.'The frame 16 is pivotally mounted on the brackets IZ-bymeans ofpins 21 which pass through the bores of the bushings 19 and the upper apertures 13 of the brackets 12. Each of the arms 17 has welded thereto a depending lug '22 provided with an aperture 23. A pair of brace arms 24, each having laterally bent-terminal portions 25 and 25 and provided with shoulders 26 spaced from the ends thereof are arranged to'be'received respectively in the apertures 23 of the lugs 22 and the apertures l4of'the brackets 12. Said terminal portions are perforated to receive cotter pins which secure the parts against displacement. The brackets 14, arms 17 and brace arms 24 provide a triangular rigid frame structure for supporting the tote box, hereinafter to be described.

The tote box indicated generally by the numeral 27 includes a bottom wall 28, a rear wall 29, end walls 31 and a forward wall 32. It will be seen that the rear and end walls 29 and 31 respectively, are disposed at right angles to the plane ofthe bottom wall 28. The forward wall 32 is disposed at an obtuseangle in relation to the bottom wall 28, substantially as shown in FIG. 2. A pair of angle brackets 33 are welded to the underside of the bottom wall 28 and are provided with registering apertures 34 which are arranged to be aligned with apertures 36 provided at the ends of the arms 17. A shaft 37 is passed through the apertures 34 and 36 and serves to pivotally support the tote box 27 on the frame structure 16. Preferably, the apertures 34 are located substantially along the center line of the bottom wall 28 so that the forward wall 32, which is a'symetrical in relation to the rear wall 29 will cause the tote box 27 normally to tend to tilt in a forward direction unless restrained in a manner, as will be hereinafter explained.

A pair of triangular lugs 39 constituting latching elements are welded to the rear wall 29 of the tote box. A latching assembly, indicated generally by the numeral 41, includes a pair of arms 42 having welded thereto a cross bar 43 with each of the arms 42 having an aperture 44 at the end opposite the cross bar. The apertures 44 register with apertures 36 in the arms 17 and 17. Suitable fastening means such as bolts 48 pivotally secure the latching assembly 41 to the arms 17 and 17.

An L-shaped handle 49 is welded to one of the arms 42 at the juncture with the cross bar 43. As seen in FIG. 2 the arms 42 extend below the arms 17 and one or both of said arms'is provided with an aperture 51 to receive one end of a tension spring 52, the other end of the spring being connected to a pierced lug 53 depending from one of the arms 17. The spring 52 normally biases the latching assembly 41 in a clock-wise direction as viewed in FIG. 2 to engage the cross bar 43 with the upper surfaces of the latching elements 39. In such relationship the tote box 27 is locked against pivotal movement in a clockwise direction. It will be understood that upon rocking of the latching assembly 41 in a counter-clockwise direction the cross bar 43'is disengaged from the'latching elements 39 permitting the tote box to rock in a clockwise direction and discharge the contents thereof forwardly of the tractor, In the discharge position the forward lip of the tote box -27 comes to rest on the ground surface with the forward wall 32 assuming a downwardly inclined position to-insure that the contents of the tote box may slide by gr-avity ontothe ground surface.

The modified embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5 is substantially identical to the first described embodiment, the differences in structure of certain of :the

parts being necessitatedzby the structural differences-in the axle of another type of conventional tractor. As seen clearly in FIG. 5, the axle comprises a generally flat memberprovided'withkingpin bushings at the ends. The mounting brackets 114 comprise a pair of angle members which are secured as with bolts to the axle 100. Except for this structural difference the other parts of the assembly are substantially identical to the first described embodiment and accordingly, it is not considered necessary to describe in detail the compo- 3 nents of the assembly. However, the corresponding parts are indicated by primed referenced numerals.

Various changes coming within the spirit of my invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art; hence I do not wish to be limited to the specific embodiment shown and described or uses mentioned, but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope of my invention being limited only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a vehicle having ground engaging wheels and a forward axle, a pair of spaced vertically extending mounting brackets carried on said axle, a supporting frame comprising a pair of spaced parallel arms detachably connected to the upper end of said brackets and extending horizontally and forwardly of said axle, a pair of brace members detachably connected to the lower end of the brackets below the axleand to the forward ends of the arms, a tote box having bottom, rear, side and front walls and pivotally attached to the forward ends of said arms for rocking movement about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the axle, said tote box being unbalanced so as to tilt in a forward direction, a latching element carried on said rear wall, cooperating latching means pivotally supported on said frame, means biasing said latching means to engage said latching element to lock said tote box in an upright position, said latching means being manually operable to effect disengagement from said latching element to permit rocking movement of said tote box to a position where the forward lip of the front wall rests on the ground surface to discharge the contents of the tote box forwardly of the vehicle.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the latching element comprises a lug and the latching means comprises a pair of arms pivoted on said frame and having a cross bar carried on said arms the cross bar being adapted to engage said lug.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 including hand engaging means associated with said latching means for manually rocking said cross bar out of engagement with 

1. In combination with a vehicle having ground engaging wheels and a forward axle, a pair of spaced vertically exteNding mounting brackets carried on said axle, a supporting frame comprising a pair of spaced parallel arms detachably connected to the upper end of said brackets and extending horizontally and forwardly of said axle, a pair of brace members detachably connected to the lower end of the brackets below the axle and to the forward ends of the arms, a tote box having bottom, rear, side and front walls and pivotally attached to the forward ends of said arms for rocking movement about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the axle, said tote box being unbalanced so as to tilt in a forward direction, a latching element carried on said rear wall, cooperating latching means pivotally supported on said frame, means biasing said latching means to engage said latching element to lock said tote box in an upright position, said latching means being manually operable to effect disengagement from said latching element to permit rocking movement of said tote box to a position where the forward lip of the front wall rests on the ground surface to discharge the contents of the tote box forwardly of the vehicle.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the latching element comprises a lug and the latching means comprises a pair of arms pivoted on said frame and having a cross bar carried on said arms the cross bar being adapted to engage said lug.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 including hand engaging means associated with said latching means for manually rocking said cross bar out of engagement with said lugs. 